BoatsSabre Yachts 38

Sabre Yachts 38

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1981–1987

A masthead sloop designed for performance, featuring a fin keel and spade rudder for responsive handling

Designed by Sabre Design Team & Roger Hewson.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Sabre Yachts 38, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Lady K Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 27 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 27
CoastalBluewater

1.86 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.86
LightHeavy

224 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 224
EasygoingPowered-up

18.1 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 18.1
TenderStiff

42% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 42%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

What the fleet has seen

The Sabre Yachts 38, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Sabre Yachts 38 is a performance-oriented masthead sloop designed by Roger Hewson and the Sabre Design Team, built by Sabre Yachts from 1981 to 1987. It features a fin keel with a spade rudder, an LOA of 11.5 meters, a beam of 3.5 meters, a draft of 2.0 meters, and a displacement of 6894 kg. The boat's mast is positioned forward, contributing to its lively performance without requiring a large genoa.3:33 The Sabre Yachts 38 is known for balanced sailing characteristics and high-quality fiberglass construction, suitable for both racing and cruising.3:11 Aboard *Lady K Sailing*, a review noted that the balsa-cored hull and deck require inspection for delamination or moisture, especially near chain plates, port lights, and the mast step.5:02 The standard Westerbeke 33-horsepower diesel engine often needs maintenance or replacement.7:47 The Sabre Yachts 38 MKII, introduced in 1988, is a variant of the model.2:32

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

1seen for sale
1channel weighed buying one
US$100,000Median asking

  • A 1993 model is listed for $100,000, which the reviewer considers excessive, but would consider for $50,000

    from Lady K Sailingseen May 20257:39

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
42.1%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.1
Displacement / length
224.1
Comfort ratio
27.4
Capsize screening
1.86
Hull speed
7.5 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1281
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1981–1987
Units built
100
Designer
Sabre Design Team, Roger Hewson
Builder
Sabre Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Ericson Yachts 38111.43 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn evolution of the Ericson 38, this 11.4-metre masthead sloop features a 1.98-metre draft and a fin-keel hull
Welcome to the New Age of Sail, Skipper!from Christian Williams
Hunter Marine 38011.35 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterOffered with a deep 1.98m keel option, this high-volume cruiser features a spade rudder and a B&R rig
The Cheapest Modern Sailboats You Can Actually Live On3:18from Lady K Sailing
Ericson Yachts 3811.48 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Bruce King-designed masthead sloop with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio for spirited performance
Update: Sailing After the Palisades Firefrom Christian Williams
Feeling 3911.70 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Philippe Briand-designed masthead sloop with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio built for performance cruising
Spearfishing Bounty of Off-Grid Sailboat Living (Days 83 to 95/100 Water World Challenge)0:45from Adventureman Dan
Moody 37611.53 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Bill Dixon-designed center-cockpit cruiser featuring a skeg-hung rudder and a stable, comfortable hull form
Selling it All for Waves: The Quest for Our Dream Sailboat Throughout Asia3:26from Stella Overboard
Etap 38i11.57 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop featuring a shallow-draft wing keel, designed for stable cruising and built between 1989 and 1997
DISCOVERING EL HIERRO AND JAPANESE INVASIVE ALGAEfrom VOILIER ODIN

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Sabre Yachts 38 MKIIA 1988-1995 production cruiser with a 1.98m draft and a skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stabilitySabre Yachts 36A 1985-1990 production cruiser with a 41% ballast ratio and a 1.93-metre draft for deep-water coastal performanceSabre Yachts 42A short-run production cruiser from the late eighties, featuring a 41% ballast ratio for stability in a 12.7-metre hullSabre Yachts 32A masthead sloop with a skeg-mounted rudder, designed for balanced performance and stability in a mid-sized cruiserSabre Yachts 28-1A Roger Hewson-designed masthead sloop featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a stiff 42% ballast ratio for coastal cruisingSabre Yachts 34Produced from 1976 to 1985, this fin-keeled masthead sloop offers a balanced 40% ballast ratio for coastal stability

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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